LETTER: Hotel's impact well more than economic

Right now you are hearing many thoughts about a new Downtown convention hotel. Let me wade into the debate as a business owner and a young professional working in Downtown.

We need to do all we can to bring people to our city for conventions. This brings in much revenue for our convention center and the businesses Downtown. This is easily quantified and an obvious benefit. However, let's talk about what this does beyond the basic economics.

A wise man once said that no great city is a doughnut. A strong Downtown is the heart of any great city. By putting a convention hotel Downtown it will continue the momentum started by the Ford Center. This momentum will lead to further development in the Downtown area because people will feel better about what is happening Downtown. Let's push it a little further. When the residents of Evansville feel good things happen Downtown, that mood will be infectious. We will tell a positive story to businesses and people who are looking to work and live here. This will help all of us sell Evansville when we, as employers, are trying to recruit employees to move to Evansville. This momentum and feel matters to prospective employees more than you know. Evansville often gets frightened by transformational projects. This convention hotel will be nothing short of transformational. It is important and I implore you to support it.